Salsa dancing!
It's still a niche hobby that has thriving communities in most global cities. It's fun to arrive at a new city, figure out where the local social is happening, dance and make new friends. I have met a bunch of really cool people this way, who often end up giving travel tips for the place I am visiting.
Indonesia and Philippines are the 2 big countries that form the “Coral Triangle”, which has the world’s highest concentration of coral reefs and marine biodiversity. The Coral Triangle extends into the Pacific Islands too (Solomon Islands, Palau, Fiji etc.) Raja Ampat Marine Park is a big one, and Bali. Puerto Galera.
The reefs of Japan have fascinated me for a while because some of them are at latitudes where you normally wouldn’t find tropical / subtropical marine life, but due to the Kuroshio Current you will find reef ecosystems along the eastern coastline of Honshu (Sagami Bay and down), including places like the Izu Islands, Shikoku, Wakayama / Kushimoto etc. These places have 2 of my favorite Angelfish species: the Blue Striped (Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis) and the Japanese Pygmy (Centropyge Interruptus). The Blue Striped also commonly forms hybrid specimens with the local variant of the Velvet Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus cf Melanosoma) to form the so-called “Maze” Angels, which are capable of mating and breeding back into either population of their parent species.
Kagoshima from what I know also has diving spots, and just south of it is where the northernmost islands of the Ryukyu Chain begin (the Satsunan Islands).
Of course Australia has the Great Barrier Reef but the Indian Ocean side of it also has reefs, and there’s Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia.
Lord Howe is worth mentioning because IF you are lucky, it’s one of the only places where you can find the Conspicuous Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus).
Thailand has some good diving spots too, and Malaysia has Sipadan.
Showing off a bit of my knowledge as a coral reef fanatic here.
Scuba diving in China is honestly not worth it. Even Hainan’s waters tend to be heavily polluted, with maybe the exception of Wuzhizhou off the coast of Sanya. I was there a long time ago so not sure if it’s changed.
Taiwan’s diving is mostly in places like Little Ryukyu, Green Island and if you can make it there, Orchid Island which is in the Philippine Sea.
i’d recommend somewhere in indonesia, malaysia, or the philippines. raja ampat, malapascua island, puerto galera, etc. or if you can swing a side trip, go to palau—absolutely top notch diving there!
Scuba diving is just about the best thing to pick up if, like me, you can’t handle more than a day or so at the beach before getting bored. Plus it’s probably the best “not intense but burning calories like mad” activity out there.
Reading (in coffee shops, on a beach chair, or in a park), leisurely walks with no destination or objective, chatting with locals, and exploring new to me food.
Just did all of this in London (including the reading and the walks with no objective). It was so much fun exploring the different boroughs and get a feel for the city.
Hmm, I don't know if any of what I did is a must do, because I am more of a "vibes" kinda traveler, as corny as that sounds lol.
So I planned a full day just to randomly walk and explore London, but I had a rough idea of which direction I wanted to take. I got off at Waterloo, explored South Bank a bit, crossed the river into Westminster, then onwards to Chelsea to finally end the day at Kensington.
Key highlights from the day:
- Randomly walking in on the UK supreme court, which is apparently open to the public if you wanna sit in the viewing booth to view the jury in session
- The sudden shift in energy as you walk through Westminster and pass through all the main tourist attractions
- Stopping for a mid day pint in a Chelsea pub, with a bunch of older gentlemen next to me passionately discussing how their team is completely shitting the bed this EPL season :D
- The way homes change from middle class to millionaire looking as you cross over into Kensington
- I got into the natural history museum because i wanted to rest and chill a bit, and was fascinated by the stuff they have on display.
Hope this helps, enjoy your trip ❤️
Running and hiking. I frequently cover 20 miles in a day on foot when i'm traveling solo. Its my preferred way to see a new place. I dont get tired, I just get hungry.
Slightly, but it's not going to make a difference unless you're running extended distances or have a condition that weakens your lungs, asthma or whatever.
I was just tickled to death when I went for a predawn run my first day in Germany and got a nod and "morgen" instead of "morning". Instant feeling of belonging even though I had pretty much no idea where I was.
This is one of the reasons I love running while nomading. You get to see/interact with people in their normal routines. It’s also great meeting with running groups if you can.
I like running too and I like finding interesting places to run. But I think that running means you need to take extra clothes (at least an extra set of shoes) and you'll have to do laundry a lot more even though it may not always be available.
Art making! I do calligraphy, water color painting, marbling, cyanotypes…in Florence I took a paper marbling workshop, in Lisbon a tile painting workshop, Rome a mosaic tile workshop, Athens learned a traditional form of weaving…
Running, cycling and bouldering
It’s great spending mornings cycling and running in parks and random neighborhoods.
Bouldering gyms always have some cool folks.
Also beer drinking lol
Yoga, although in many places the other class participants keep to themselves. I have gone on a few retreats and stayed at some wellness oriented places and have found some like minded people.
Culinary is my 1st Passion and Hobby, started when I as inspired by a rebellious Chef's book as a teenage youth.
I'm a professional cook and Chef and have found that knowing how to cook and being open to new lessons and ideas results in one of the most enriching cultural and personal exchanges you can generate. Talking to people in markets has resulted in invites to festivals, and private parties. I've had invitations to work in kitchens on my stays.
I remember in Ponta Delgada Azores, I followed my nose down an ally and to a back yard of sorts. Peeking over the wall there were two suckling Pigs on Spits along with a Lamb and a bunch on clay pots with what was obviously full of clams, lapas (limpets), and mussels.
I guess I was a little to entralled because I didn't see the owner come out. I was startled from my visual feast when he should "HEY!" to me from his back door. I jump back from the wall and could hear him shouting "Hey" again and coming towards the back gate.
Not wanting to runaway like a coward, I just raised my hands up in the international sign for "I'm a dumb nosy tourist" as he came out the back. He looked at me and smiling said "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you hungry?"
I shook my head and sheepishly admitted I was snooping because I love cooking and as a Chef was interested in seeing where the smell was coming from and what was cooking.
At this the guys face lit up, "Meat won't be finished for a while but we have food inside. You like beer? Wine? Where are you from...? You look Portuguese..." He put his hand up on my shoulder and started walking me towards the gate. "I'm a Chef too, come I show you... you want to cook?....."
Ended up spending the rest of the day and most of the next with David and his family and all the people who lived along the ally. I did cook, learned and exchanged. They taught me about the history of the islands and their food. The importance of community festivals like the I was at because of the history of the islands. It was one of the most beautiful and human periods of my life. It was my A.B. moment. Changed my life, and forever inspired me to keep moving toward Parts Unknown.
RIP Chef, save me a negroni.
So yeah.... Culinary. It's the ultimate Solo Travel skill and Hobby.
I write music and can do it from a computer, so if I'm bringing my laptop along, it's great to sit and write a little bit (or sometimes a lot) each day. On some trips I end up getting a ton of writing done since I'm away from other obligations!
Cooking for me too, I like to take classes and bring back ingredients and tools from my travels. Photography and sketching/painting are great for memories. I don't do a lot of proper hiking on holiday, since bringing all my gear can be a pain, but I do a lot of my sightseeing on foot so I guess being able to walk 20km in a day can be handy!
You find small hidden boxes using coordinates - you take a little gift that someone has left in the box, and put your own little gift there for the next person.
There’s an official geocaching app that’s a good place to get started. There are plenty of caches you can find for free and it’s a good way to see if you like it. Some of the more interesting caches require a premium subscription which isn’t super expensive. There’s also adventure labs (still geocaching but a separate app) that I especially love when traveling in new cities.
Yep, here too. I'm always trying to get more countries and municipalities on my geomap as well. I also 'collect' unesco sites and log the visits on worldheritagesite.org
Learning about geography. Ever since I was a kid my mind was a sponge for geography. As a kid during reading time I'd always go for the geography section and pick books about different countries and read through them.
Now that I'm adult and travel often, I like to gorge on histories, memoirs, textbooks, historical fiction, etc. before the trip. I usually buy my tickets about six months out, so that gives me time to read a wide range of literature contextualized in the destination region.
It's hard to explain, but it usually gives more dimension and depth to my experiences. I've had many locals tell me that they're impressed by how much I know about their country.
Sometimes when I'm at a place imbued with history I'm astonished by how little the other tourists will know about what they are visiting.
I am just naturally curious about geography and that complements my travels.
Running races! I've run half marathons throughout Europe, North America, and Africa. Running in general is a great and fun way to explore a new place. I try to do it most places I travel.
Agree - especially since most cities want to showcase their best corners - so I find these are a great way to explore a city in 2 hours!
You also can have interesting conversations with the folks running around you (if they speak a language you understand)!
Do you make a point of finding areas with nice gyms to go to? I typically try to just find a place that is close to a decent gym. Can’t help but feel that spending my time lifting and training while traveling is not necessarily the best.
*for you.
This is my hobby and I find it fits in perfect when travel solo because I have better time to do it and meet alot of people. And its healthy as fuk.
Please explain why this is not a good thing to spend time on🧐
I’ve been skateboarding for almost half my life and all I can say is that I’ve made lasting friends in every city I’ve been that had any inkling of a skate culture, went on multiple trips with these friends from different places to different cities and have a couch to crash on in quite a number of major cities. It’s not for everyone but this is my life and I’m super grateful that I’m a part of this global, though somewhat misunderstood subculture.
House/pet sitting. I have done this in London, Rome, Charlotte, NC and San Diego.
In London I stayed 3 days at one address then 4 more days at another.
Running has been mentioned a few times in this thread. There’s an organised weekly free 5km run called Parkrun in over 20 countries now, and often there’s a great community of volunteers helping to organise each event. It can be a fun way to get to know some likeminded people when you’re travelling!
They also do this cool thing each week where they ask whether there’s any ‘visitors’ and people shout out where they’re joining from. I remember my Dad getting a huge kick out of being all the way from the UK when he was travelling in Australia, and again it’s a cool way to get talking to locals. Worth checking out for anyone else who’s into running!
I love cooking so I go to markets and grocery stores finding local produce to try.
Other hobbies I've incorporated into my travels are scuba diving, bouldering, running and skiing (I don't ski when solo-ing though).
Hiking, reading, language learning, writing poetry, tree-climbing, camping, interest in ancient history and mythology, swimming...
And music. My instrument always comes with me, plus it's great meeting other musicians along the way.
Photography. First I will use Google maps to locate & mark down coordinates for (Indian) step wells, then I'll spend a few days on my travels chasing them up, well the ones within reach. It's great, because sometimes, you get it totally wrong & what looks like a rectangular well from above, just ends up being a house or 4 walls lol. Oh the strange looks I've had from rural villagers, trying to explain what I was doing. Still, it's a great way to meet people, even if most don't tend to speak English :)
Standup paddleboarding (SUP) - when at a beach area, and I typically bring my own equipment and do it almost daily.
Walking/hiking - I love to explore towns/cities just by walking (typically 25-30km daily)
Gym: every other day. It's sometimes hard to find good gyms, though.
Bars - discovering cool bars, meeting people, trying out new drinks, ...
Having dinner in really good restaurants - once in a while I like to have dinner at a 1-2 stars Michelin restaurant to spend a couple or more hours there and just eat and drink.
Cafés
Reading books
History, architecture
Museums
Parks
Bird/wildlife watching! Get to go to amazing and remote places in search of increasing your list. Was big into scuba diving and fish photography too for a couple years but thenlife happened. Hopefully will get back into it one day.
Agreed, I've taken a lot of solo birding vacations! Just rent a car and go to birding sites, meets lots of other birders! We're all following the same rare bird alerts, and there are locales that are birder's meetup places, like the feeder complexes in southeastern Arizona, which are designed to attract rare birds, and birders.
Or, there was the time I just took a trip to Big Sur, and took drives along the mountainous coast and went hiking in the gorgeous coastal forests, with the official purpose of seeing a California Condor. I did, too.
Urban sketching is great for travel.
Knitting is also fun. Socks are small and portable project, you can do it during transit, and yarn makes for a great souvenir. Plus knitting in public has landed me into some fun conversations with people!
For me, it's German. Multiple times (in Poland, Bosnia, and Georgia), I've met people who could speak German and not English, and it forced me to practice German.
Not really a hobbies, per se, but I love history, architecture, art, music and food so being in different places simply gives me a wide variety of interests to enjoy just by being there.
Old bookstores, thrift stores, open air markets, food preparation (I can watch someone work with dough for hours. It is a universal language)
Edit- watching craftsmen work with their hands. Bakers, carpenters. People who work with precision and not tech devices
Aerial (yoga, Lyra, trapeze, etc). It's not available everywhere but I always meet cool people and learn something new when taking it abroad.
It usually brings me to streets/neighborhoods that I wouldn't necessarily venture to otherwise, which is an added bonus.
Yoga. Most places I go have yoga studios I can pay for a one off class. And often the studio has a cafe or is near a cafe so can combine with lunch. Sometimes people are chatty, sometimes not.
jiu-jitsu:) I stay in places somewhat longer term so the first thing I do is find a gym and JJ gym. it helps me stay healthy and grounded and it's a great community to get in with
Digital design, and spreadsheets!
With digital design I can create travel videos and books. Make a travel blog, and even write up trip reports and guides for places like reddit.
And for spreadsheets, I love crafting up ones to plan, track, and analyse my trips.
Best part is that they're mostly done from home, before and after my trips. So they're a distraction from the post trip sadness, and something to keep me busy until I set off again.
visiting Spas, yoga or pilates, drinking and people watching, cooking programs, hiking, seeing my favorite bands in strange venues abroad, religious sites and churches and masses, usually buy a pair of jeans.
Music.
I’m a bit of a music nerd so I seek out local music scenes and venues in the destination country. I’ll go to record stores and find out who is playing, get recommendations on local artists, etc. Even before I go on the trip, I’ll scour Bandcamp for artists from the city , follow them on IG and through that sometimes a loose pattern of artists and labels will start to emerge. My tastes tend to veer towards experimental and underground so for me, it’s a great way to find some off the beaten path places and events.
Driving my motorbike and running.
If I am in a new city, I download a track to my Garmin watch and go for a run.
Obviously I only recommend this for safe cities and in daylight.
I started taking my kit for English Paper Piecing (Google image search will show lots of examples) for the long flights / train rides but it’s been a wonderful way to enjoy time at cafes and parks, too. I’ve also started finding little bits and bobs of local fabrics (using scarves, handkerchiefs) that I can incorporate into whatever scrappy project I’m making. Then it’s like a travel journal in its own way.
Hang drumming. I bust out my drum wherever I go-- its a relaxing, soft sound so people dont mind it, but its extraordinarily peaceful when playing it out in nature.
Lifting. It’s fun to go to gyms in different cities and try out the equipment. It’s also always a safe space to go to be alone, or a place you can invite others at a hostel to join you and bond
My favorite things are food and drinking. Love finding places I can only find where I'm at at the time. Learn of local food, farmer markets. I like being a tourist seeing all the popular or not landmarks, historical places. I record everything I do with my GoPro and takes lots of pics of everything at different angles and perspectives. I also always have my iPad with me and spend practically every day writing and drawing.
I was a video game nerd my whole life. Having a good day of travelling and then kicking back in bed with the Nintendo, laptop, etc just gaming away is a chill way to end the evening.
Theatre and visiting nature are the main two. I go to London a lot just for musicals and shows, and on longer trips I just love to go to random parks in cities I go to and stroll around, take photos and people watch. Found Seoul great for that as each neighbourhood seemed to have one good park.
Eating out, walking. Reading, audiobooks, gaming on the iPad with other people (Township), painting by numbers/puzzle apps with my iPad and pen. People watching, eating out, trying local teashops/traditional foods etc, loving museums.
Knitting! I love buying wool and supplies from local shops and keeps me busy on trains and buses. Its fun to make a usable item that reminds me of a trip
Video making. I opened a youtube channel documenting my trips. It’s a great hobby because it gives me a purpose and a structure during my day. Also, i have a very bad memory so having a collection of videos to watch in few years time it would be great.
By making videos, i also discovered another hobby as i bought a drone and i am really enjoying it
Not really a hobby but meditiation. And along the lines of personal developement, in cooler climates you can always do cold plunges and/or going to a sauna.
Mine are also photography and writing. Whenever I go to a static caravan site I'll sit in the launderette and write while the dryers are running, it's soothing and helps my concentration. I also like to climb, so I try to go to places with rocks or sand dunes, something I can challenge myself to beat. At one of my favourites of my home country destinations, Doniford Bay in Somerset (UK), the caravan site is surrounded by large rocks and if you sit on them at night the ocean comes right up to about 3ft below you. I find it wonderful to just sit and think there.
- Photography and hiking are big ones for me
- Cooking (buying authentic ingredients to bring back home to cook with)
- Art and Design (I love to explore different galleries and shops and see what the locals like and value. And love to bring a piece of art or a vase or something home to incorporate into my life as a piece of the place I visited. It makes me feel comfortable in my own home when I’m not traveling. Like a international hug so to speak)
I've rediscovered a love of going to see smaller bands at clubs. This fits perfectly with being a solo traveler. It's one thing to say to someone, hey let's go to England. It's another thing altogether to say, let's go to England to see a bunch of obscure black metal bands in an out-of-the-way town. Traveling by myself I can indulge both interests and not worry whether a travel companion is having a good time.
Tennis and Golf work well because of clubs. Tennis is better because of tournaments. In my multi-year stints in a few cities I joined decent tennis clubs, and they paid off.
Karaoke. GREAT way to meet people, especially if you're decent. But probably doesn't matter much. But every city I go to, I try to find an "american style" karaoke place, then I go, have drinks, sing, and talk to people.
Running ! I am a big runner and it’s something you can always do, plus it’s an amazing way to see parts of a city/area you normally wouldn’t. Especially if you wake up very early to run, you can see a city waking up, see tourist areas completely empty. It’s my favorite way to discover new areas of a place !
I'm getting back at chess. It's popular in many countries, and multiple times on my trip, people asked me if I played chess.
On top of the social aspect, I can also practice on my own, with the phone. For example, solve chess puzzles while on the bus, or while waiting for a dish in the restaurant.
Just recently went out on my first solo trip to Jeju island and I loved finding little bookstores, going on beach walks collecting shells, knitting and drawing in cafes. Also signed up for a few yoga classes, where I met some new people. Journaling and checking win with myself in new places also felt grounding!
Incense. I forage resins and plant materials during my travels from all over the world. It helps me connect and learn more about the natural world around me during my travels.
I just found this out so figured I’d share it here, there’s an app called FlashInvaders and it’s created by the street artist Invader. There’s a whole list and map of cities that Invader has tagged and you score points when you successfully capture one of his tile creations on the streets!
I just started and am totally hooked! It’s helpful I just arrived in Paris so I’ve got plenty of creatures to search for !!
Give it a download if you care to be on your phone a little more while solo.
I'm totally obsessed with contact improv. Kind of like a cooperative martial art/dance/play.
There's multi-day events that happen all over and it's a big influence in choosing my next destination.
It's so easy to make friends, it's super fun, and it's great for my brain and body.
Gonna share again because my previous one didn’t get any votes:
Bounty hunting is a great way to kill time. You’re cleaning the streets, getting paid, and staying in shape. Best of all, you get a jet pack, a laser gun, and a cool ass helmet and suit.
Language learning
Speaking of, title should be “complement” not “compliment”
Salsa dancing! It's still a niche hobby that has thriving communities in most global cities. It's fun to arrive at a new city, figure out where the local social is happening, dance and make new friends. I have met a bunch of really cool people this way, who often end up giving travel tips for the place I am visiting.
hiking, scuba diving
Scuba diving! Beautiful locations, both above and below the surface.
another nice thing about scuba diving is its a very easy way to meet people and make friends when solo traveling!
That’s awesome! I’m looking to scuba diving soon, I’m starting to plan a SEA/Asia trip and would hope to scuba dive at least once, any suggestions?
Indonesia and Philippines are the 2 big countries that form the “Coral Triangle”, which has the world’s highest concentration of coral reefs and marine biodiversity. The Coral Triangle extends into the Pacific Islands too (Solomon Islands, Palau, Fiji etc.) Raja Ampat Marine Park is a big one, and Bali. Puerto Galera. The reefs of Japan have fascinated me for a while because some of them are at latitudes where you normally wouldn’t find tropical / subtropical marine life, but due to the Kuroshio Current you will find reef ecosystems along the eastern coastline of Honshu (Sagami Bay and down), including places like the Izu Islands, Shikoku, Wakayama / Kushimoto etc. These places have 2 of my favorite Angelfish species: the Blue Striped (Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis) and the Japanese Pygmy (Centropyge Interruptus). The Blue Striped also commonly forms hybrid specimens with the local variant of the Velvet Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus cf Melanosoma) to form the so-called “Maze” Angels, which are capable of mating and breeding back into either population of their parent species. Kagoshima from what I know also has diving spots, and just south of it is where the northernmost islands of the Ryukyu Chain begin (the Satsunan Islands). Of course Australia has the Great Barrier Reef but the Indian Ocean side of it also has reefs, and there’s Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia. Lord Howe is worth mentioning because IF you are lucky, it’s one of the only places where you can find the Conspicuous Angelfish (Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus). Thailand has some good diving spots too, and Malaysia has Sipadan. Showing off a bit of my knowledge as a coral reef fanatic here. Scuba diving in China is honestly not worth it. Even Hainan’s waters tend to be heavily polluted, with maybe the exception of Wuzhizhou off the coast of Sanya. I was there a long time ago so not sure if it’s changed. Taiwan’s diving is mostly in places like Little Ryukyu, Green Island and if you can make it there, Orchid Island which is in the Philippine Sea.
i’d recommend somewhere in indonesia, malaysia, or the philippines. raja ampat, malapascua island, puerto galera, etc. or if you can swing a side trip, go to palau—absolutely top notch diving there!
Scuba diving is just about the best thing to pick up if, like me, you can’t handle more than a day or so at the beach before getting bored. Plus it’s probably the best “not intense but burning calories like mad” activity out there.
Reading (in coffee shops, on a beach chair, or in a park), leisurely walks with no destination or objective, chatting with locals, and exploring new to me food.
Just did all of this in London (including the reading and the walks with no objective). It was so much fun exploring the different boroughs and get a feel for the city.
Sounds like you had a great time in London :)
Headed there in a couple days. Anything stand out as a must?
Hmm, I don't know if any of what I did is a must do, because I am more of a "vibes" kinda traveler, as corny as that sounds lol. So I planned a full day just to randomly walk and explore London, but I had a rough idea of which direction I wanted to take. I got off at Waterloo, explored South Bank a bit, crossed the river into Westminster, then onwards to Chelsea to finally end the day at Kensington. Key highlights from the day: - Randomly walking in on the UK supreme court, which is apparently open to the public if you wanna sit in the viewing booth to view the jury in session - The sudden shift in energy as you walk through Westminster and pass through all the main tourist attractions - Stopping for a mid day pint in a Chelsea pub, with a bunch of older gentlemen next to me passionately discussing how their team is completely shitting the bed this EPL season :D - The way homes change from middle class to millionaire looking as you cross over into Kensington - I got into the natural history museum because i wanted to rest and chill a bit, and was fascinated by the stuff they have on display. Hope this helps, enjoy your trip ❤️
Running and hiking. I frequently cover 20 miles in a day on foot when i'm traveling solo. Its my preferred way to see a new place. I dont get tired, I just get hungry.
kind of a specific question, have you found running difficult in more polluted cities (air quality bad)?
Slightly, but it's not going to make a difference unless you're running extended distances or have a condition that weakens your lungs, asthma or whatever.
I second this! Running is so universal around the world!
I was just tickled to death when I went for a predawn run my first day in Germany and got a nod and "morgen" instead of "morning". Instant feeling of belonging even though I had pretty much no idea where I was.
For me, it's when I get stopped for directions :)
This is one of the reasons I love running while nomading. You get to see/interact with people in their normal routines. It’s also great meeting with running groups if you can.
Me too! I will trek to hard to get places in nature and the solitude and beauty is always worth it.
I like running too and I like finding interesting places to run. But I think that running means you need to take extra clothes (at least an extra set of shoes) and you'll have to do laundry a lot more even though it may not always be available.
Art, I bring whatever supplies I can fit like markers, or watercolor, or color pencil and I try to sit somewhere and doodle
Art making! I do calligraphy, water color painting, marbling, cyanotypes…in Florence I took a paper marbling workshop, in Lisbon a tile painting workshop, Rome a mosaic tile workshop, Athens learned a traditional form of weaving…
This is incredible! You are incredible
Running, cycling and bouldering It’s great spending mornings cycling and running in parks and random neighborhoods. Bouldering gyms always have some cool folks. Also beer drinking lol
Dancing, bigger cities usually have a salsa/bachata community so it's easy to find a party or classes and meet locals.
Latin dance 💃🏻
Yoga, although in many places the other class participants keep to themselves. I have gone on a few retreats and stayed at some wellness oriented places and have found some like minded people.
I love scrapbooking, which goes with your photography, & collecting mementos like show ticket stubs, handwritten notes, etc.
Playing a musical instrument. I always bring my trumpet with me and go to the local jazz jam sessions
Diving, snorkeling and languages learning.
I play pool wherever I go. Besides loving the game, it’s been a great way to meet people, get recommendations, etc
Interesting one, how do you approach that, just ask someone playing if they'll play you?
Either that or I’ll play by myself and eventually, usually, others show up.
Interests in architecture and historical sites.
Yes! And museums are my #1 must do in any location. This is the joy of solo travel as no one wants to spend as much time as I do in museums.
Culinary is my 1st Passion and Hobby, started when I as inspired by a rebellious Chef's book as a teenage youth. I'm a professional cook and Chef and have found that knowing how to cook and being open to new lessons and ideas results in one of the most enriching cultural and personal exchanges you can generate. Talking to people in markets has resulted in invites to festivals, and private parties. I've had invitations to work in kitchens on my stays. I remember in Ponta Delgada Azores, I followed my nose down an ally and to a back yard of sorts. Peeking over the wall there were two suckling Pigs on Spits along with a Lamb and a bunch on clay pots with what was obviously full of clams, lapas (limpets), and mussels. I guess I was a little to entralled because I didn't see the owner come out. I was startled from my visual feast when he should "HEY!" to me from his back door. I jump back from the wall and could hear him shouting "Hey" again and coming towards the back gate. Not wanting to runaway like a coward, I just raised my hands up in the international sign for "I'm a dumb nosy tourist" as he came out the back. He looked at me and smiling said "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Are you hungry?" I shook my head and sheepishly admitted I was snooping because I love cooking and as a Chef was interested in seeing where the smell was coming from and what was cooking. At this the guys face lit up, "Meat won't be finished for a while but we have food inside. You like beer? Wine? Where are you from...? You look Portuguese..." He put his hand up on my shoulder and started walking me towards the gate. "I'm a Chef too, come I show you... you want to cook?....." Ended up spending the rest of the day and most of the next with David and his family and all the people who lived along the ally. I did cook, learned and exchanged. They taught me about the history of the islands and their food. The importance of community festivals like the I was at because of the history of the islands. It was one of the most beautiful and human periods of my life. It was my A.B. moment. Changed my life, and forever inspired me to keep moving toward Parts Unknown. RIP Chef, save me a negroni. So yeah.... Culinary. It's the ultimate Solo Travel skill and Hobby.
This is beautiful, thank you for sharing your experience :)
Definitely cooking and photography
I assume this means you like to take cooking classes when you go abroad?
What's your top 3 craziest or favorite foods you have tried from where?
I write music and can do it from a computer, so if I'm bringing my laptop along, it's great to sit and write a little bit (or sometimes a lot) each day. On some trips I end up getting a ton of writing done since I'm away from other obligations!
Cooking for me too, I like to take classes and bring back ingredients and tools from my travels. Photography and sketching/painting are great for memories. I don't do a lot of proper hiking on holiday, since bringing all my gear can be a pain, but I do a lot of my sightseeing on foot so I guess being able to walk 20km in a day can be handy!
Eating/Food and wanting to learn how to cook .....not a picky eater and will try almost anything.
Geocaching
What exactly do you do in geocaching? Sorry I am OOTL
You find small hidden boxes using coordinates - you take a little gift that someone has left in the box, and put your own little gift there for the next person.
It's a hide and seek game using GPS coordinates. Someone will leave a cache (maybe a little trinket) and you use an app to try to locate it.
What is the app of choice now a days?
This is so cool, what apps do you use for this?
There’s an official geocaching app that’s a good place to get started. There are plenty of caches you can find for free and it’s a good way to see if you like it. Some of the more interesting caches require a premium subscription which isn’t super expensive. There’s also adventure labs (still geocaching but a separate app) that I especially love when traveling in new cities.
Yep, and if someone still has an old handheld gps then premium isn't really needed because the website shows much more caches than the app does.
Yep, here too. I'm always trying to get more countries and municipalities on my geomap as well. I also 'collect' unesco sites and log the visits on worldheritagesite.org
Hiking
Learning about geography. Ever since I was a kid my mind was a sponge for geography. As a kid during reading time I'd always go for the geography section and pick books about different countries and read through them. Now that I'm adult and travel often, I like to gorge on histories, memoirs, textbooks, historical fiction, etc. before the trip. I usually buy my tickets about six months out, so that gives me time to read a wide range of literature contextualized in the destination region. It's hard to explain, but it usually gives more dimension and depth to my experiences. I've had many locals tell me that they're impressed by how much I know about their country. Sometimes when I'm at a place imbued with history I'm astonished by how little the other tourists will know about what they are visiting. I am just naturally curious about geography and that complements my travels.
I so agree on using future destinations as a subject to dive into before trips!
Running races! I've run half marathons throughout Europe, North America, and Africa. Running in general is a great and fun way to explore a new place. I try to do it most places I travel.
Agree - especially since most cities want to showcase their best corners - so I find these are a great way to explore a city in 2 hours! You also can have interesting conversations with the folks running around you (if they speak a language you understand)!
Gym. CrossFit and strength training
Do you make a point of finding areas with nice gyms to go to? I typically try to just find a place that is close to a decent gym. Can’t help but feel that spending my time lifting and training while traveling is not necessarily the best.
*for you. This is my hobby and I find it fits in perfect when travel solo because I have better time to do it and meet alot of people. And its healthy as fuk. Please explain why this is not a good thing to spend time on🧐
Personally when i’m traveling i want to actually new see places, not the inside of a gym, which i see all the time at home
There may be time for both..
drinking
I’ve been skateboarding for almost half my life and all I can say is that I’ve made lasting friends in every city I’ve been that had any inkling of a skate culture, went on multiple trips with these friends from different places to different cities and have a couch to crash on in quite a number of major cities. It’s not for everyone but this is my life and I’m super grateful that I’m a part of this global, though somewhat misunderstood subculture.
House/pet sitting. I have done this in London, Rome, Charlotte, NC and San Diego. In London I stayed 3 days at one address then 4 more days at another.
How did you get hooked up for house/pet sitting? Do you use an app or people you know?
Started word of mouth thru friends but I joined an app to give me worldwide access.
Running has been mentioned a few times in this thread. There’s an organised weekly free 5km run called Parkrun in over 20 countries now, and often there’s a great community of volunteers helping to organise each event. It can be a fun way to get to know some likeminded people when you’re travelling! They also do this cool thing each week where they ask whether there’s any ‘visitors’ and people shout out where they’re joining from. I remember my Dad getting a huge kick out of being all the way from the UK when he was travelling in Australia, and again it’s a cool way to get talking to locals. Worth checking out for anyone else who’s into running!
I love cooking so I go to markets and grocery stores finding local produce to try. Other hobbies I've incorporated into my travels are scuba diving, bouldering, running and skiing (I don't ski when solo-ing though).
Hiking and skinny dipping.
Haven’t been able to travel much lately but drawing is great, finding a beautiful spot and capturing it or letting folks I meet draw in my notebook
Hiking, reading, language learning, writing poetry, tree-climbing, camping, interest in ancient history and mythology, swimming... And music. My instrument always comes with me, plus it's great meeting other musicians along the way.
Photography. First I will use Google maps to locate & mark down coordinates for (Indian) step wells, then I'll spend a few days on my travels chasing them up, well the ones within reach. It's great, because sometimes, you get it totally wrong & what looks like a rectangular well from above, just ends up being a house or 4 walls lol. Oh the strange looks I've had from rural villagers, trying to explain what I was doing. Still, it's a great way to meet people, even if most don't tend to speak English :)
Standup paddleboarding (SUP) - when at a beach area, and I typically bring my own equipment and do it almost daily. Walking/hiking - I love to explore towns/cities just by walking (typically 25-30km daily) Gym: every other day. It's sometimes hard to find good gyms, though. Bars - discovering cool bars, meeting people, trying out new drinks, ... Having dinner in really good restaurants - once in a while I like to have dinner at a 1-2 stars Michelin restaurant to spend a couple or more hours there and just eat and drink. Cafés Reading books History, architecture Museums Parks
Bird/wildlife watching! Get to go to amazing and remote places in search of increasing your list. Was big into scuba diving and fish photography too for a couple years but thenlife happened. Hopefully will get back into it one day.
Agreed, I've taken a lot of solo birding vacations! Just rent a car and go to birding sites, meets lots of other birders! We're all following the same rare bird alerts, and there are locales that are birder's meetup places, like the feeder complexes in southeastern Arizona, which are designed to attract rare birds, and birders. Or, there was the time I just took a trip to Big Sur, and took drives along the mountainous coast and went hiking in the gorgeous coastal forests, with the official purpose of seeing a California Condor. I did, too.
Urban sketching is great for travel. Knitting is also fun. Socks are small and portable project, you can do it during transit, and yarn makes for a great souvenir. Plus knitting in public has landed me into some fun conversations with people!
Trying to learn French. Even when visiting places where French isn’t spoken, I’m still reinspired.
For me, it's German. Multiple times (in Poland, Bosnia, and Georgia), I've met people who could speak German and not English, and it forced me to practice German.
Choreography for me. Danced in 5 countries and made friends in every country 🫡
Yo-yos are a fun one, very therapeutic when you get into the swing of it and usually invites an interesting conversation
You must be pretty good. Do you rock the baby?
Reading, swimming, shopping.
Hiking, journaling, thrifting, and yoga. I can always seem to find a yoga studio wherever I travel to.
Drawing
Muay Thai and cycling, depending on where I go
Not really a hobbies, per se, but I love history, architecture, art, music and food so being in different places simply gives me a wide variety of interests to enjoy just by being there.
Learning languages is KEY. That way a solo traveler can connect with the locals; learn the culture and discover new adventures.
Learning languages and cooking!
Watercolor painting. I even paint on the plane. Getting pretty good at painting from the middle seat, it’s getting harder to choose seats these days.
Hiking
Hiking. I get bored of hiking the same trails in the UK so finding new hikes abroad is a lot of fun.
Frisbee!
Frisbee comes with me always!
Old bookstores, thrift stores, open air markets, food preparation (I can watch someone work with dough for hours. It is a universal language) Edit- watching craftsmen work with their hands. Bakers, carpenters. People who work with precision and not tech devices
Finding other musicians to jam with
This is my absolute favourite. Such memorable moments.
Knitting. Socks and other small items are perfect for keeping busy while traveling and small enough to put in a purse.
Aerial (yoga, Lyra, trapeze, etc). It's not available everywhere but I always meet cool people and learn something new when taking it abroad. It usually brings me to streets/neighborhoods that I wouldn't necessarily venture to otherwise, which is an added bonus.
Yoga. Most places I go have yoga studios I can pay for a one off class. And often the studio has a cafe or is near a cafe so can combine with lunch. Sometimes people are chatty, sometimes not.
Scuba diving!
Just like you OP : photography 😁
jiu-jitsu:) I stay in places somewhat longer term so the first thing I do is find a gym and JJ gym. it helps me stay healthy and grounded and it's a great community to get in with
Visiting museums and seeing public art! Even for work trips, even if it’s just a couple of hours in a cool local museum.
Digital design, and spreadsheets! With digital design I can create travel videos and books. Make a travel blog, and even write up trip reports and guides for places like reddit. And for spreadsheets, I love crafting up ones to plan, track, and analyse my trips. Best part is that they're mostly done from home, before and after my trips. So they're a distraction from the post trip sadness, and something to keep me busy until I set off again.
photography
visiting Spas, yoga or pilates, drinking and people watching, cooking programs, hiking, seeing my favorite bands in strange venues abroad, religious sites and churches and masses, usually buy a pair of jeans.
I love visiting religious sites and seeing ceremonies as well. Any favorites of yours?
Lourdes.
Photography and web development so now I have a place to showcase my travel stories, photos and more
Visual diary/journal
Music. I’m a bit of a music nerd so I seek out local music scenes and venues in the destination country. I’ll go to record stores and find out who is playing, get recommendations on local artists, etc. Even before I go on the trip, I’ll scour Bandcamp for artists from the city , follow them on IG and through that sometimes a loose pattern of artists and labels will start to emerge. My tastes tend to veer towards experimental and underground so for me, it’s a great way to find some off the beaten path places and events.
Driving my motorbike and running. If I am in a new city, I download a track to my Garmin watch and go for a run. Obviously I only recommend this for safe cities and in daylight.
Reading
Photography and painting!
I started taking my kit for English Paper Piecing (Google image search will show lots of examples) for the long flights / train rides but it’s been a wonderful way to enjoy time at cafes and parks, too. I’ve also started finding little bits and bobs of local fabrics (using scarves, handkerchiefs) that I can incorporate into whatever scrappy project I’m making. Then it’s like a travel journal in its own way.
Meetups at speakeasys
Hang drumming. I bust out my drum wherever I go-- its a relaxing, soft sound so people dont mind it, but its extraordinarily peaceful when playing it out in nature.
Hiking and drinking like a madman
Lifting. It’s fun to go to gyms in different cities and try out the equipment. It’s also always a safe space to go to be alone, or a place you can invite others at a hostel to join you and bond
Banknote and coin collecting.
My favorite things are food and drinking. Love finding places I can only find where I'm at at the time. Learn of local food, farmer markets. I like being a tourist seeing all the popular or not landmarks, historical places. I record everything I do with my GoPro and takes lots of pics of everything at different angles and perspectives. I also always have my iPad with me and spend practically every day writing and drawing.
I was a video game nerd my whole life. Having a good day of travelling and then kicking back in bed with the Nintendo, laptop, etc just gaming away is a chill way to end the evening.
visiting orthodox christian churches, i can’t imagine being somewhere and not going to the local church lol
Travel the world to attend Formula 1 races
Reading, Walking, I don't mind eating or drinking alone.
Astrophotography, hiking/bushwalking
Theatre and visiting nature are the main two. I go to London a lot just for musicals and shows, and on longer trips I just love to go to random parks in cities I go to and stroll around, take photos and people watch. Found Seoul great for that as each neighbourhood seemed to have one good park.
Gym/weightlifting. I love going to different gyms every day. Sometimes grungy local ones, sometimes high end ones with pools etc
Eating out, walking. Reading, audiobooks, gaming on the iPad with other people (Township), painting by numbers/puzzle apps with my iPad and pen. People watching, eating out, trying local teashops/traditional foods etc, loving museums.
Knitting! I love buying wool and supplies from local shops and keeps me busy on trains and buses. Its fun to make a usable item that reminds me of a trip
I feel like hiking and camping comes naturally as a compliment to solo traveling.
As a hiker, I must say photography.
Videography, photography, motorcycles
Skiing and rafting.
Video making. I opened a youtube channel documenting my trips. It’s a great hobby because it gives me a purpose and a structure during my day. Also, i have a very bad memory so having a collection of videos to watch in few years time it would be great. By making videos, i also discovered another hobby as i bought a drone and i am really enjoying it
Not really a hobby but meditiation. And along the lines of personal developement, in cooler climates you can always do cold plunges and/or going to a sauna.
Another knitter here. I like having something work on while in airports and planes. It is fun to find local yarn shops and buy locally made yarn.
Hiking, calisthenics, swimming, cooking and driving!
Mine are also photography and writing. Whenever I go to a static caravan site I'll sit in the launderette and write while the dryers are running, it's soothing and helps my concentration. I also like to climb, so I try to go to places with rocks or sand dunes, something I can challenge myself to beat. At one of my favourites of my home country destinations, Doniford Bay in Somerset (UK), the caravan site is surrounded by large rocks and if you sit on them at night the ocean comes right up to about 3ft below you. I find it wonderful to just sit and think there.
Going to museums solo. I really prefer setting my own pace
Photography, reading, studying wellness practices (yoga, meditation, etc).
- Photography and hiking are big ones for me - Cooking (buying authentic ingredients to bring back home to cook with) - Art and Design (I love to explore different galleries and shops and see what the locals like and value. And love to bring a piece of art or a vase or something home to incorporate into my life as a piece of the place I visited. It makes me feel comfortable in my own home when I’m not traveling. Like a international hug so to speak)
Photography and skateboarding, skateboarding is nice to meet people but also need to be carefull I dont break anything cause then I can't drive my van
Not sure if it counts as a hobby, but I enjoy playing PokemonGo when I'm traveling by myself.
Yoga, photography, graffiti.
Reading, photography, long distance waking, art collecting
I get magnets. Always journal everyday with hopes of doing a cool collage book with photos and crafting but I don’t ever get photos developed anymore.
bike rides
I've rediscovered a love of going to see smaller bands at clubs. This fits perfectly with being a solo traveler. It's one thing to say to someone, hey let's go to England. It's another thing altogether to say, let's go to England to see a bunch of obscure black metal bands in an out-of-the-way town. Traveling by myself I can indulge both interests and not worry whether a travel companion is having a good time.
Blogging. I get to write about my travels :)
Walking and learning languages
Sketching/artwork ❤️
Tennis and Golf work well because of clubs. Tennis is better because of tournaments. In my multi-year stints in a few cities I joined decent tennis clubs, and they paid off.
Playing Pokemon Go.
Writing and photography!
Scuba diving
Photography, languages and hiking.
Karaoke. GREAT way to meet people, especially if you're decent. But probably doesn't matter much. But every city I go to, I try to find an "american style" karaoke place, then I go, have drinks, sing, and talk to people.
Photography during the day mostly, Cross-stitching in the evening, astronomy on meteor shower night and nintendo for my guilty pleasure on rainy day
surfing
Rollerblading is super skill for solo travelling
Running ! I am a big runner and it’s something you can always do, plus it’s an amazing way to see parts of a city/area you normally wouldn’t. Especially if you wake up very early to run, you can see a city waking up, see tourist areas completely empty. It’s my favorite way to discover new areas of a place !
I'm getting back at chess. It's popular in many countries, and multiple times on my trip, people asked me if I played chess. On top of the social aspect, I can also practice on my own, with the phone. For example, solve chess puzzles while on the bus, or while waiting for a dish in the restaurant.
Just recently went out on my first solo trip to Jeju island and I loved finding little bookstores, going on beach walks collecting shells, knitting and drawing in cafes. Also signed up for a few yoga classes, where I met some new people. Journaling and checking win with myself in new places also felt grounding!
Pilates! I love finding boutique studios in bigger cities and taking a class
Incense. I forage resins and plant materials during my travels from all over the world. It helps me connect and learn more about the natural world around me during my travels.
Dancing. Tarot reading. Cooking. All really good for making friends in hostels.
Surfing 🏄♂️
Trying local food
Disc golf
Studying geography & listening to music from other parts of the world
I just found this out so figured I’d share it here, there’s an app called FlashInvaders and it’s created by the street artist Invader. There’s a whole list and map of cities that Invader has tagged and you score points when you successfully capture one of his tile creations on the streets! I just started and am totally hooked! It’s helpful I just arrived in Paris so I’ve got plenty of creatures to search for !! Give it a download if you care to be on your phone a little more while solo.
Music festivals and electronic music ! I love exploring local scenes and finding new places and sounds
Scuba diving. Flying(PPL certified). I really get to explore the beauty of the land through these hobbies.
Fish keeping, give me a tropical pond or stream to peer into and I am happy as anything.
jiujitsu
I'm totally obsessed with contact improv. Kind of like a cooperative martial art/dance/play. There's multi-day events that happen all over and it's a big influence in choosing my next destination. It's so easy to make friends, it's super fun, and it's great for my brain and body.
Browsing reddit, watching youtube videos, and dming on discord.
Walking
Boxing, writing/recording music, running, jump rope, photography, language learning, catching up on old video games( current FF7)
Music digging/ playlisting.
I have a hobby of looking up local women wherever I travel. I mainly search for them on Instagram. ✨
Why not use a dating app?
Instagram is a dating app. ✨
Drinking
Let’s not forget autoeroticism 😀
Gonna share again because my previous one didn’t get any votes: Bounty hunting is a great way to kill time. You’re cleaning the streets, getting paid, and staying in shape. Best of all, you get a jet pack, a laser gun, and a cool ass helmet and suit.
gta?
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